Spring forward

March 14, 2019
by Angela

When I spring forward, I fall back.

Like most of us, or maybe all of us, I rather look forward to longer stretches of daylight as winter breathes its last. I’ve noticed, however, that with each year my internal clock become a little more recalcitrant regarding the twice-annual game we play with time.

It’s only a few days since the forward leap, and my Circadian rhythms are seriously out of whack. My bones and joints clearly think it’s midnight, but I check my watch and gasp in disbelief—“What??? It’s only 8:30????” Then, when midnight finally does roll around, I can’t close my eyes.

A winter sunrise from the back porch. The cover photo sunset is also local.

Mornings are similarly confusing. I oversleep one day and am up before dawn the next. One reset of the hour and all my hard-won patterns are toast.

But the absolute worst part is the lack of motivation. Given the fact that The Time Change signals the eventual advent of sunnier skiers, warm breezes, emerging spring flowers, and leaves on the trees, this makes me feel stupid and whiney—an avowed “morning person” who can’t seem to get started before late afternoon. I felt as if I’d scaled Mount Everest the other day when, at 5 pm, I finally managed to dust three bookshelves. For Pete’s sake. 

I’ve always encouraged “writing it out” as a way of dealing with the woes of daily life. Maybe this confession will help me to get moving.

Are you similarly stymied? Any remedies you’d recommend, beyond a good book, a glass of wine, re-binging Republic of Doyle, or the tincture of time?

Note: Once again, multiple states in the US are fiddling with legislation that would eliminate either Standard or Daylight Saving Time. The topic has come up at the federal level as well, for what that’s worth. The current buzz seems more about the deleterious “health effects” of The Time Change. I can’t get too excited about that. Even thought the adjustment is a pain, legions of people have managed to reach a ripe old age despite springing forward and falling back throughout their long lives. Who knows whether the move to changeThe Time Change will gain traction now that the Circadian rhythms experts are crawling out of the woodwork, or evaporate as it has in the past? We shall see. Though “Just pick one and stick to it” seems reasonable on the surface, I’m not advocating any position. If you’re interested, check this website I found: #LockTheClock.

15 thoughts on “Spring forward”

  1. Apple Hill Cottage

    Amen! Preach it sister!

    Two days ago, I couldn’t think of anything productive I’d done all day, Yesterday was a little better, only because I made a list. And crossed things off.
    I’m in the camp of pick one and stick to it…
    And thanks for the suggestion of Republic of Doyle…

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  2. Ron

    You guys make the switch ahead of us as we don’t change the clock until March 31st, but this coming change is slated to be the last. Yep, the EU is moving to abolish the time change which I think is a good thing. 84% of those polled in the EU wished to abolish DST. Angela, a good book and a couple of glasses of wine work for me.

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  4. restlessjo

    So long as I have plenty of daylight hours I can cope, Angela. What I do find is that I get less and less sleep as the year wears on because I wake with daylight, and hate to shut the sun out. I’m very bleary-eyed by the end of summer 🙂 🙂

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  6. Karen (Back Road Journal)

    I know exactly how you feel Angela and wish I could give you my recommendations but alas…I’m suffering just like you. Florida is one of the states that would like to stay on the time as it is now and has passed legislation but it has to be approved by the federal government.

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  8. Christine

    My cats were so thrown off by the time change. They do the worst with waking up and mealtimes. I live in FL, so hopefully, by next year, Daylight Light Savings will be a thing of the past! I just want to get caught in the next cycle. I don’t love springing forward.

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